Fastening device



B. WOLHAUPTER.

FASTENING DEVICE.

(No Model.)-

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BENJAMIN VVOLHAUPTER, OF MORGAN PARK, ILLINOIS.

FASTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,773, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed March 3, 1894. Serial No. 502,291. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WoLHAUP- TER, a subjectof the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Morgan Park, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Fastening Devices; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a fastening device of the same class to which lag-screws, wood-screws, nails, railway-spikes, &c., belong-that is to say, my device is applicable for the various purposes to which the above-named devices are put.

The invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway-rail and my fastening device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the device with a portion of rail in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a slight variation, showing the construction where the tie-plate is used. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the same with parts in section. Fig. 6 isa cross-section. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a variation in the form of the head of the device. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the device before it is turned to lock it. Fig. 9 is a plan View of the tie-plateused in construction shown in Fig. 5.

In carrying out the invention A represents the main portion or body of my fastening device, and B is the head thereof. The body A is formed on one side onlythereof with a series of teeth or projections or threads to. These threads may be inclined or spiral, as shown in Fig. 2, or they may be at right an gles to the body, as shown in Fig. 5. Each is preferably provided with a cutting edge a, which merges or runs into the body portion, as at a In the construction shownin Figs. 1 and 2 the head is eccentric to the body and is beveled on its under side, as at Z).

0 represents the flange of the track-rail.

D is the point of the device and is preferably shaped, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the long beveled sides cl coming to the edge d and with a short beveled side (Z all three sides coming to the point d and forming a bayonet-shaped point. The object of this form of point will be seen when it is explained that the body of the device is prepared from a piece of metal that is originally circular in cross-section, the threads a being crowded out of one side only, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. As will be seen also, the point 01 is inline with the original axis of the body. Now, as

will be seen, when the device (which for convenience I will term the spike is forced into the tie while the threads a will tend to force it in one direction this tendency will be compensated for by the short'beveled side 61 so that the spike on being driven will take a substantially straight course into the tie. It will be observed that the body of the spike above the threads is provided with a straight portion 6 and with a beveled portion 6. The purpose of the straight portion 6 is to rest against the flange of the rail, while the purpose of the beveled portion 6 is to form a cork for the orifice made by the spike and thus prevent moisture from getting into the tie around the spike and rotting the tie. After the spike has been driven down so that the head rests upon the flange O a wrench or other suitable tool is applied to the head of the spike and it is turned on its longitudinal axis. This brings the wider head-flange b overthe railflan ge and at the same time throwing the teeth a into that portion of the tie that has remained intact and where the fibers have not been disturbed by the driving of the spike.

The spike can of course be arranged to be turned in either direction. In Fig. 8 I show it as inserted and in Fig.1 given a threequarter turn. In Fig. 5 I show the teeth. or threads at right angles to the body. When this construction is used, the spike can be turned in either direction to lock it. If the teeth are beveled, as in Fig. 2, this turning will also bind the head tightly down against the flange of the rail. It will also be observed that by the peculiar shape of the point of the device it cuts away to a large extent the fibers and makes a path for the teeth to be driven through. In Figs. 4 and 5 I illustrate the device in connection with a railwaytie plate, F representing the tie-plate and f representing the orifice through which the spike is passed. In this case the body of the spike is provided at c with a flange, which, when the spike is turned to throw the threads a to lock the flange, will engage the plate.

In Fig. 7 I show a slight variation in the form of the head, the angular shape being dispensed with, the head flattened at g, so that it will clear the tread of the rail, anda notch g provided, so that a tool may be engagedto the head to turn the spike to lockit. It is obvious also that the pointed end of the device may be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 5. In this case a suitably-shaped tool or anger might be used to first prepare the orifice in the tie into which the spike is inserted.

It is obvious that the device might also be varied in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I would also have it understood that while I have here shown and described more particularly a railway-spike, yet this construction of device is applicable as a substitute for many difierent forms of fastenings, such as wood-screws, lag-screws, nails, &'c.

What I claim is- 1. A fastening device consisting of a single piece having a body portion provided with a series of projections or threads on one side and said body portion also provided with a bayonet-shaped point, having at least three faces, two faces of which are longer than the third, and terminating in a shoulder in line with the projections on the body, substantially as described.

2. Afastening device consisting of a single 7 piece having a body portion provided with-a head, the axis of which is eccentric to that of the body, said body also provided on one side with a series of projections or threads, the opposite end of said body being provided with a bayonet-shaped point, having at least three faces, twofaces of which are longer head, said body portion also provided with a 

